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2012 Porsche Cayman R, an Autoweek Drivers Log Car Review

October 13, 2011

1 of 5The 2012 Porsche Cayman R

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2 of 5The 2012 Porsche Cayman R

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3 of 5The 2012 Porsche Cayman R

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4 of 5The 2012 Porsche Cayman R

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5 of 5The 2012 Porsche Cayman R

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SENIOR MOTORSPORTS EDITOR: As I steered the Cayman R out of Autoweek's parking lot on a sunny Friday evening, I thought, "Why am I sweating?" I knew this much: It was not because of the prospect of running hard for the first time in the most performance-oriented, factory-built Cayman to date. It's a quick car but far from a frightening one.

The air was blowing full-bore inside the RS-like, Alcantara-trimmed cockpit, but still, with one and a half eyes on the road, my right index finger hunted around desperately trying to locate a button that would provide relief.

It came up empty as I pulled to the side of the street, hoping the thought that had popped into my head was wrong. But I knew it wasn't, and the window sticker I fished from the glovebox confirmed my thought, in black and white on the car's list of options: "Delete air conditioning . . . $0."

%$E#! Oh, and gee, thanks, Porsche, for being so kind as to not charge for the privilege.

Seventy-five degrees, no problem. But the on-board ambient temperature function displayed 95, and I have zero doubt about its accuracy, let alone the humidity that accompanied the reading. Driving was like forging a weapon on an anvil deep inside a foundry, with no cool air on the horizon for days.

I pedaled onward with windows lowered, and you do not require race-driver sensitivity to feel the improvements Porsche delivers to the Cayman with the R package.

After driving loads of miles in the Boxster Spyder--the Cayman R's roadster sibling--last summer, I expected a similarly hard ride from the nonadjustable sport suspension. So I was surprised to find myself thinking that the Cayman R rides more comfortably than what I recall as a borderline brutal experience in the Spyder. On top of that, I drove the Spyder on California's nice roads and the R on Detroit's asphalt cheese graters, yet the impression of a better ride remains. A quick check with Porsche's North American office returned a reply that said no, I did not imagine this, and that there is a difference between the two. My source is checking for specifics on the settings and the whys but confirmed my suspicion that the Spyder's lack of a fixed roof mandates perhaps additional bracing and a setup that also leads to such a harsh experience.

Oh, the R is still an incredibly stiff car, and it is not for the high-profile set that uses their Cayman mostly for cruising town on a Friday night. It holds the road with even more of Porsche's standard grip and precision, and with more negative front camber, it feels pointy and extremely communicative in your hands.

The engine, tuned lightly to deliver 10 hp more than it does in the Cayman S, makes great noises, especially with the throttle set to sport-plus and the sport exhaust activated, both via buttons on the center stack. I was impressed with just how much of a difference there is with the exhaust flaps switched open; the sound goes from classic Porsche mechanical noise to a deep and loud bark. A must-have option.

The R's throttle response is so good, the chassis so capable and the exhaust note so amusing that, in a rational state, I find it hard to argue that I would ever need any more performance than this for even the most spirited of street driving. I know many of our readers couldn't understand the relative lack of love for the Audi R8 Spyder featured recently in Drivers Log, but this Porsche puts it in perfect perspective. For half the money, I find it substantially more fun and exciting to drive; maximum horsepower is not always what it's about. Given a choice between a car that produces impressive numbers but feels somewhat sterile versus a car that, regardless of numbers, provides a more involving experience? It's not even a choice for me, it's an absolute.

Personally, I would have even more fun in a Cayman R equipped with a six-speed manual transmission rather than the paddle-shifted Porsche dual-clutch this test car arrived with. However, that didn't stop me from banging up and down through the gearbox, keeping the engine in its best rev range at all times. My recorded fuel mileage confirms this.

You could live with the R as a road-only car, but then you might as well buy a standard Cayman. This version demands track time, and I regret not being in a position during my stint with it to give it what it needs.

Still, this is not a pure race car, so I remained annoyed as I sweated the miles and corners away, even though I did so at energizing speed. Whoever speced this thing is a maniac. No AC--but it has a radio? And cupholders? What kind of road-racing car has a radio and cupholders? That's right--none. But the option chooser was still hard-core enough to delete the AC? I'm sure the climate system weighs the most out of those three items, but seriously, could I tell the difference in performance if I back-to-backed an R with and without AC? Signs point to no.

But then this happened: After two days driving the R and grumbling to myself in sweltering heat, I taxied a friend to the airport. I was in jeans and sneakers, my passenger in shorts and flip-flops. And as he complained repeatedly about the inside temp, I heard these unlikely words come from my mouth: "Well, you know something? It's not really that bad, actually. . ."

Yup, there's undoubtedly a big difference between a hot car and a hot car. This Cayman R is both. Funny what you'll put up with when that is the case.

Mac Morrison
- Mac Morrison is Autoweek’s senior editor for Motorsports covering racing at all levels, from club events to NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA and Formula One. He also contributes to Autoweek’s coverage and testing of new cars and the automotive industry. Follow him on Twitter @Mac_Morrison.
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